What Entrepreneurs can learn from Gopichand

Gopi was like any of us employees. He worked hard, performed well and delivered well - for his employers - the badminton association if India. As an employee, he felt the pain, the lacuna, the gaps, the need of what the current training systems lacked. He knew the gaps and pain points in talent discovery, nurturing, grooming and training of badminton players. He knew what could have made more players be like him - be world beaters.

When he hung up his shoes as a player, he knew what he will do. He was not searching for an idea that would have the greatest prospect. He was not looking at setting up a general sports academy which will have bigger market, bigger prospects and and greater valuations. He was not looking at market grab, land grab etc. He zeroed in on his expertise, his pain points and decided to focus on a niche that he understood well - Badminton.

And then he went about the process. He sought the facilities that the government can offer. His objective was not an award, nor to be in the news, nor to have a retirement plan of an academy. His objective was clearly to produce world class badminton players from India. He started a mechanism to discover talent.

When he realised that Sindhu was quiet, shy and soft natured, he ensured that she became the opposite on the court. He saw her potential but had to free her of the middle class submissive, shy and softer traits. One day, he called her early in the morning, made her stand in the middle, surrounded by all his players in the academy and made her yell fifty times. Sindhu refused but had to do it and cried at the end if it. With one stroke, he freed her from her own self. He refused to train her till she knew how she can be aggressive on the field, yell at her opponent, yell at herself, scream at winning a point or scream losing a point. On the court aggression is important. It is important to communicate with your opponent. It was imperative that you have the capacity to motivate yourself.

Pullela Gopichand is humble, hard working, under stated and exemplary as a leader. He comes to the court at 4 AM and has been doing so every day for years. He had his eyes on the goal. He had devised a process for all his players and he will be the first to follow it. In a cricket crazy nation that barely invests in any other sport, he had to raise resources and spend less than what was needed. He was thrifty. He was saving where he can. When he goes to international tournaments, he will get the used shuttles back to be used for the practise sessions at his academy. He gave up carbs so that he can have the stamina to play with his players. He followed a process he set for his players. He was more disciplined than his players. With Badminton Association of India around, Gopi's academy disrupted the established way of sports in India and produced almost all world class players. He was committed, sacrificed himself, focussed on the process, had his eyes on the end result and left the game of rewards and recognition for others.

How I wish all sports bodies in India replicate what Gopi did and does with elan. Have a Gopi in each sport - and you can expect results. Similarly, be an Entreprenuer like Gopi. Follow his example. Know your expertise. Know where you can contribute. Feel the pain that you saw and felt. Invest yourself. Commit yourself. Know your goal and set a process to achieve that goal. Be exemplary in your behaviour. Be humble. Be wise. Be smart. Be thrifty. Work hard - every day, every hour. Change the rules of the game. Disrupt. Create impact. Change lives. And leave the valuation game to the investment bankers. Because valuation will follow if you achieve the goal.